‘To hell with this corona’: the mask slips for India’s Covid-19 sceptics
- Meet India’s anti-maskers, a broad church of Covid-19 deniers, conspiracy theorists and even doctors that spans the country
- New study finds a little less than half of Indians wear masks in public, even as experts warn a spike in infections looms for the festival season
The doctor specialised in community medicine and studies epidemics in Patiala, Punjab, treating about 70 clients daily. He now practices chiefly naturopathy and believes the pandemic will run its natural course like any other virus; that we should rely on immunity to beat it.
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“In Punjab, people are out on the road for [a range of other] real-life issues,” Azad said, highlighting ongoing farmer protests. “They’re saying, ‘to hell with this corona, we have other problems’.” Azad believes that the fallout of this particular virus is being exaggerated, and that it too will be overcome by herd immunity.
Ashok Patel, 65, a retired businessman in Rajkot, Gujarat, was critical of the way mask-wearing perpetuated fear. His refusal to wear a mask was linked to spiritual belief.
“Fear collapses immunity,” he claimed. “This is all a power game.”
